05/06/2026
Casa Tupin — a house that allows the landscape to flow through it 🌿🏡
Designed by BLOCO Arquitetos, *Casa Tupin* is located within the native cerrado landscape near Brasília, Brazil. Rather than imposing itself on the site, the residence is carefully positioned to create a continuous dialogue between architecture, terrain, and vegetation.
The home is organized around a central courtyard that acts as its true heart—a contemporary interpretation of the traditional backyard. This open space connects the social and private wings while concentrating leisure areas such as the pool and barbecue zone, all executed in exposed concrete to emphasize material honesty and continuity.
One of the project’s most distinctive features is its relationship with the ground. Portions of the floor slabs are semi-suspended above the natural terrain, allowing vegetation and small animals to move beneath the structure. This approach softens the boundary between house and landscape, creating a more organic connection with the site.
Structurally, the residence rests on only twelve primary columns supported by post-tensioned perimeter beams and internal suspension elements. This system enables generous cantilevers and large unobstructed living spaces while minimizing direct contact with the ground and improving thermal performance.
The result is an architecture that feels both precise and effortless—where structure, landscape, and living space work together as a single system.
📍 Brasília, Brazil
📸 Joana França
💬 Should houses adapt to the landscape as much as possible, or is it acceptable for architecture to reshape the site to suit its design?
